RFID Sleeve Shield

Introduction: RFID Sleeve Shield

RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) technology is already being sold in consumer products and is constantly expanding. Numbers soaring over 200 million credit and debit cards, millions of hotel room keys, including All US Passports issued since October 2006, work IDs and even transit cards use RFID chips. This is for convenience, all you simply need to do is swipe your card, the chip does the rest! What could go wrong? Unfortunately many things. It is quite easy for someone to pick up your RFID information against your will. Criminals with can construct their own RFID readers with a cheap minimal supplies. These devices can steal your private financial information quickly and silently. With the more these chips becoming more and more popular, the more your personal information is at risk than ever before. by using RFID shields or wallets can make it more difficult for someone with an electronic reader to read your information.

Protect yourself and your identity build a RFID shield

Step 1: You Will Need!

To build this project, you will need the following

Duct tape

Ruler

Aluminum foil

Scissors

Thats all you need! Lets start building!

Step 2: Lay Down Tape

Rip off two duct tape strips about 5 inches long.

Lay the two strips one over the other in order to increase the width

Once that's done, tear off a big piece of foil and cover the pieces of duct tape

You should now have a duct tape side and a foil side

Next Step!

Step 3: Cut

Now take out your ruler!

Measure out a 2 and 1/2 width and 3 and 1/2 height

using a pen CREASE don't DRAW on the tape. Use pressure but don't draw on the tape.

Now get out your scissors and cut out the rectangle. (Clean the scissors often, it gets difficult to cut duct tape)

**Easy Tip** Its faster and easier to simply trace a card and cut out the shape. Just lay the card on the tape and trace around it with a pen

Step 4: Repeat

Make another side!

Do exactly the same thing you did before.

(Start over from step 3)

Step 5: Tape Sides

Now lay both pieces FOIL DOWN next to each other

Lay a small strip of tape over the seams to connect the two

Fold and tape the other side together

tape of of the remaining sides

Cut off excess tape

Basically all your doing is taping three sides together, once that's done make sure your card fits and then place a heavy object on top of it over night. THis will make it tight and thinner.

Step 6: Cut Again

**This step is optional**

Using a cap or circle templat (I used a glue stick lid) trace out a half circle

Once thats done, cut it out!

This will make your sleeve look better and its easier to remove your card.

Comments

I recently read up on RFID readers and (correct me if I'm wrong) but tinfoil only sheilds the mag strip slightly. Readers can read through tinfoil at close range. According to tech sights I have been on the only thing that completely blocks the reader is copper mesh?

I was wondering the same thing about the tinfoil and its blocking capabilities. Do you think multiple sheets would fix the problem or do you think the use of copper mesh is definitely needed. Anyone know of a good source of cheap low quatities of copper mesh?

The thickness of the shield (and its overall mass) does matter and one might see some phase decoupling with irregularly spaced and angled surfaces, so one would think folded aluminum foil would give pretty good results.

I'm not sure if the tin foil might be enough or not, but as for where to get copper mesh... some arts and craft stores would have it, since it can be used for things like the underlying structure when working with clay or plaster.

Copper does have a higher electrical conductivity than aluminum (silver is best), but it is heavier and less malleable. Heavy-duty aluminum foil works better than standard weight. All non-grounded solutions will only diminish (not eliminate) RF transmission; a faraday cage must be well grounded.

Your correct about the foil! (not sure about copper mesh) It makes it more difficult to steal your information from the chip, and will shield your card around 80% of the time. Using foil will work just as well as any "RFID blocking wallets" you see in stores. The best part is the foil is many times cheaper then these wallets.

I've read that normal Tyvek blocks some radio frequencies, but Dupont also makes a version that is coated with a metal foil to reflect radiation (heat) trying to escape the building. The LE doesn't have the additional insulation, like the thermawrap R5.0.

Alternatively, you can buy aluminum (duct) tape at any hardware store, which is several times thicker than aluminum foil.

I hate these chips. If your card has one wrap it in paper, put it on a steel surface and wack it with a hammer. Smash the chip and use the strip. Thanks for the write up constructed! Nice instructable.

that pretty cool and on the cheap. One idea for easy cutting, using the ruler as the straight edge and guide, use an Xacto knife ( razor blade) to make the cuts. BECAREFUL USING THESE BLADES WHILE CUTTING.

So you just need a metal layer between your card and an RFID reader to protect it? How simple! I've made my own wallet out of fused plastic bags and I could easily slip a layer of aluminum foil in when I sew it together. Thanks so much!